The invention of the personal long firearm provided a valuable tool for the user. However, carrying the firearm quickly became problematic. This problem led to the development of the sling. Early slings used a two point attachment to the firearm, usually at or near the stock and towards the fore end or barrel. Recently, sling systems have developed which attach at only one point of the firearm, usually at the juncture of the stock and receiver. This point is usually provided by an added sling plate, which is a thin plate of metal or other suitable material that fits between the stock and the receiver. A loop extends along the rim of the plate and toward one side or another of the firearm and provides an attachment point for the sling. Ambidextrous sling plates, those having loops on left and right sides of the firearm, provide two mounting options which may be useful in tactical scenarios or simply due to preference of the user. Another plate option has a transverse bar that crosses the face of the sling plate beneath the stock.
The folding stock is another advance in firearm technology. The folding stock is a stock which is hinged and will fold over one side of the firearm. Such stocks add convenience for carrying the firearm in a more compact state while also being easily deployed. However, the combination of a folding stock with a sling plate can be problematic as often the loop provided by the sling plate can block the motion of the folding stock and prevent stowage. This interference is assured if the sling plate is ambidextrous.
What is needed then is a mounting structure for a sling that will not interfere with a folding stock while being in an advantageous position. This structure needs to provide at least one sling mounting point with a preference for two, each being on either side of the firearm. Combining the sling mount with an existing piece of firearm hardware allows for drop in replacement while providing the intended benefit. One potential component for replacement is the recoil lug. The recoil lug provides a backstop against which the firearm's recoil spring may react in order to re-position the firearm's bolt carrier group for firing. In most firearms without a recoil buffer tube/receiver extension tube, this recoil lug is positioned above the stock in a rearward orientation of the firearm. This, then, provides an ideal location for positioning a sling mount, in particular an external loop.
An integrated recoil lug and sling loop represents a departure from the prior art in that it allows a single part to serve as both a recoil lug and a sling attachment loop simultaneously. The integrated part also allows for the use of a rearward sling mounting point on long firearms with a folding stock.